Combined with the hot, humid climate and rich soil, hand pollination by the country’s skilled and patient farmers has enabled Madagascar to become the world’s top vanilla producer in both quantity and quality. Growers could choose the best flowers and properly space them out on the vine, resulting in a healthier and higher quality vanilla pod. Eventually, hand pollination was perfected on a commercial scale. In 1841, Edmond Albius of Réunion developed an efficient method for fertilizing vanilla flowers by hand. It wasn’t until 1836 that Charles Morren, a Belgian botanist, discovered the link between the bee and the plant’s pollination. Without the Melipona bee, vanilla’s indigenous pollinator in Mexico, the flowers were only occasionally pollinated by local insects. The vines grew successfully with beautiful blossoms, but seldom resulted in vanilla pods. For almost 50 years after its arrival, the growth and production of vanilla was difficult. Hence, when we refer to Madagascar Bourbon, we’re referring to the region and not to the liquor.Īround 1793, a vanilla vine was smuggled from Mexico to the Réunion island. Located just east of the southern portion of Africa, the area known as the Bourbon Islands includes the islands of Réunion, Madagascar, Mauritius, Comoro and Seychelles.

Madagascar – The Discovery of Hand Pollination for Vanilla Tasting Notes: Mexican vanilla is a rich marriage of sweet and woody notes with a deep-spicy character, similar to clove or nutmeg. The entire curing process takes three to six months, making it a very labor-intensive endeavor. Once properly cured, the beans are stored on racks and in conditioning boxes to further develop and mellow the flavor. From that point on, the beans are spread in the sun daily to absorb heat and then placed in large wooden boxes overnight to sweat. In Mexico, the curing process involves wrapping beans in blankets and straw mats and then placing them in ovens for 24 to 48 hours. The curing process is what gives the beans their characteristic brown color, as well as their flavor and aroma. Vanilla beans grow green on the vine and are harvested when the tips begin to turn yellow. This Mexican bee is the only insect that evolved to pollinate the vanilla orchid flower. Mexico remained the sole growing region for vanilla beans for another 300 years because of the symbiotic relationship between the vanilla orchid and a tiny, indigenous bee called the Melipona. When the Aztec empire fell to Hernán Cortés, vanilla pods were brought back to Spain, thus introducing the flavorful beans to the rest of the world. The vanilla orchid ( Vanilla planifolia Andrews) originated in Mexico and, for centuries, was the exclusive secret of the native Totonac Indians who were later conquered by the Aztecs. Below you will discover more about five vanilla-growing regions: Mexico, Madagascar, Tahiti, Indonesia and Uganda. Vanilla is the most popular and widely used flavor in the world, yet, it’s only cultivated in a few countries and regions. Mexican vanilla is known for its hint of spice, along with sweet notes and Tahitian vanilla has fruity and flowery attributes. For instance, vanilla from Madagascar has a creamy, sweet flavor. Most vanilla beans available today are from Madagascar, Mexico and Tahiti.Īs with wine, chocolate and coffee, vanilla from each country has its own distinctive flavor profile and characteristics, owing to the different climates, soils, curing methods and vanilla species. Vanilla is grown within 10-20 degrees of the equator.

Nielsen massey vanilla extract